Over 100 Houston ISD teachers call in sick to protest Mike Miles
Around 100 Houston ISD teachers said they are protesting to draw attention to how HISD management is treating them and their students. Dozens of Houston ISD teachers called in sick on Thursday to protest state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles, raising concerns about his administration's reforms. Around 100 teachers from 35 campuses participated in the protest, which was held separately from the district's two teacher unions. Organizers claim that teachers and students have experienced a culture of fear regarding punishment and reprisal throughout the district. The "New Education System" under Miles' leadership has implemented a district-made standardized curriculum, recurring spot observations by HISD management, and removing librarians from dozens of campuses. Despite criticism, Miles maintains his efforts are aimed at improving instruction and preparing students for the 2035 workforce.
Published : 4 weeks ago by Kennedy Sessions in Politics
Dozens of Houston ISD teachers called in sick on Thursday to protest the state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles, and concerns around his administration's "wholescale systematic" reforms that teachers say have created a hostile work environment and a culture of fear. Around 100 teachers from 35 campuses participated in the protest, which was organized separately from the district's two teacher unions.
"Teachers and students alike have experienced a culture of fear regarding punishment and reprisal throughout the district's campuses," protest organizers statement said. "Today's action by teachers highlight the ongoing concern about hostile learning and teaching environments created by Houston ISD's takeover superintendent, Mike Miles."
According to organizers, teachers "scheduled doctor's appointments and called in sick despite being threatened with punishment for using their allotted sick leave." Previously, Miles has emphasized teacher attendance, saying teachers in the classroom must promote a "high-performance culture."
"Firing Mike Miles and restoring the elected Houston ISD Board of Trustees."
"Students should be supported with wraparound, counselors, nurses, and librarians/library specialists on every campus."
"Teachers should be certified and have college degrees. Teachers should be respected with their input valued.
Stop targeting black and brown schools with harmful, unproven interventions."
"Learning should be meaningful and engaging. Curriculum, teacher evaluation, and leadership decisions should be based on peer-reviewed and research-based best practices."
Thursday's "sickout" marks the latest protest among district teachers since Miles was selected in June by Texas education officials to take over operations. Under his leadership, one of the reforms, the "New Education System," implements a district-made standardized curriculum, recurring spot observations by HISD management, and removing librarians from dozens of campuses. The new policies have sparked praise and critique from the Houston community. Still, Miles claims all his efforts are geared toward "improving the quality of instruction" in HISD and preparing students for the 2035 workforce.
But a teacher who participated in Thursday's protest and asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation said Miles's leadership tactics have fostered a "climate of fear" and hopes their "sickout" draws attention to how teachers in public schools, specifically in HISD, are being treated.
"I've been a teacher for a long time, and I can't work under these conditions," the teacher said. "I can't be a bad teacher, and that's what this requires. We're fighting for the public to understand that this is child abuse; this is teacher abuse. He [Miles] will never change, but are we going to continue as a community to allow him to do what he's doing, and is the board of managers going to continue?"
Teachers across the district are leaving to find employment somewhere else, many of them citing stressful work environments, according to analysis from the Chronicle, despite HISD officials conducting a survey that determined a small fraction of teachers staying for the next academic school year,
"Everybody thinks that public schools are terrible and our kids deserve this, and it's not true. If anyone went into just about any HISD school, they would see a functioning school with good kids, good teachers," the anonymous teacher added.